long story short..replaced opti..worked fine. replaced waterpump..worked fine. catalytic converter 'split' at the front part (where the cat connects to the y-pipe) which is now threatening to completely break (at the rear part..coming off all together). everything is welded on my exhaust and is like $230 installed for a new 3" high-flow cat. Since i dont have that much right now to throw into my car...ive been driving it around and it sounds like its got open headers LOL.
The problem...after about a week of driving it like this...the car started stuttering REAL bad when i slowly accelerate and sometimes at WOT..the exhaust is 'hanging' down now from the back part of the cat..about to break off..im thinking...theres a few possiblities..
1.cat is blocking off the rear flow of exhaust and cause problems with the engine...
2.my plugs and wires are bad (coincidental)
3.O2 sensors may be bad (engine rebuild..never changed them...also would be coincidental)
4.my K/N air filter has been off the filter tube (doesnt stay on very well)..and its just 'sitting' in the air filter area by the wheel.
Either way..its one..possibly causing the car to run worse and only getting worse..two..sounds like crap now and is embarrasing in traffic..
What should I do? should i tear it off to allow full rear flow of my exhaust and see if that helps before replacing it? will it be too loud and cause more problems if i do so? any help would be appreciated, thanks guy!

 

cat problems? ... my first car had no cat... my moms car has no cat... my new Z28 is getting it removed soon because its got a crack in it too *shrug* always a cheaper option but hey i dont know much about motors maybe a high flow cat is more hp than no cat *shrug*, either way good luck gettin it fixed, and when ya do find out i hope its similar to mine, because when i get on the throttle quickly in my Z it sputters a little like a miss but if i get on it slow its fine =/ ... no power loss though... 152mph on police radar and owning an 87 GT is proof of that... still payin for that one lol.

 

yes but when you say no CAT.. you mean you have exhaust still going from the exhaust manifolds all the way to your exhaust tips exiting at the rear of the car..when i say remove the CAT...i mean the exhaust would exit at the CAT location..actually..right at the Y-pipe is where it would come out. I know it would make it LOUD too...theres a big difference between exiting exhaust from the CAT and from the rear of the car allowing it to flow smoothly all the way through versus right after the exhaust manifolds (i dont have headers..just 3" exhaust from them manifolds..
My sputter is very bad and i have almost a total loss of power
good luck with yours though, i hope its not a big issue as mine is im sure

 

Get your self a Catco off ebay for a couple of bucks... It's highflow and it works well.

 

Catco? what is a Catco and is it just a brand another brand of Cat. Converters? If its not just a cat...what is the purpose of it? also..why is it only a couple bux (imagining around $50 when you say couple) versus a good 3" high flo that i have on (sorta hanging ) now? thanks, Derek

 

Catco is just a brand name.

THey make 3 inch Hi-flow universal cats. They're cheap becasue they are universal. I think they run like 80 bucks shipped on ebay. Figure a Cat is a Cat ... as long as it has a honeycomb there goes a nice restriction on your exhaust. I had one weled on my stup... only difference I've really noticed is no more SES light comming on ocassionally.

 

thanks for the info, that'll save me over a hundred if i can get ahold of one! theres no problems with it fitting good? I have an aftermarket ypipe and 3" exhaust all the way through...